Long-term effectiveness of the Mindful Self-Compassion programme compared to a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention: a quasi-randomised controlled trial involving regular mindfulness practice for 1 year.
Antonio Crego, José Ramón Yela, María Ángeles Gómez-martínez, Elena Sánchez-zaballos, Aitor Vicente-Arruebarrena
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1597264 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractStandard 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction trainings both produced benefits on anxiety, depression, perceived stress, positive and negative affect, and psychological flexibility compared with a control group. These gains were maintained over a year of continuous practice. The two programmes showed a similar trajectory over the measurement periods. The 8-week MSC programme and regular practice of mindfulness and self-compassion appear to be an effective intervention for promoting mental health in the general population, with benefits similar to those from MBSR.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Quasi-randomized controlled trial Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 170 |
| Population | General population individuals (75.9% female) |
| Interventions | Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 1-year follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression |
| Keywords | Mindful self-compassion Mindfulness-based stress reduction Longitudinal research |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key finding | MSC and MBSR trainings both produced sustained improvements in anxiety, depression, perceived stress, affect, and psychological flexibility compared with a control group over one year. |
Abstract
This study compares the Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) programme with the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a well-established intervention, and a control group, and includes 1 year of continuous practice. A longitudinal quasi-RCT was conducted with measurements at baseline, post-training, 6 months and 1 year. A total of 170 individuals (75.9% female) were randomly assigned to the MSC (n = 48) and MBSR (n = 65) groups, with a non-fully randomised wait-list CG (n = 57). Using intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis strategies, results consistently indicated that standard 8-week MSC and MBSR trainings produced benefits on anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and positive and negative affect, as well as on variables related to psychological flexibility, compared with CG. These gains were maintained over a year of continuous practice in both training groups. Overall, the two programmes, MSC and MBSR, showed a similar trajectory over the measurement periods. The 8-week MSC programme and the regular practice of mindfulness and self-compassion appear to be an effective intervention for promoting mental health in the general population, with benefits similar to those derived from the practice of exercises from well-known mindfulness programmes such as MBSR.